Purification of water.



l P. M. LEAVITT. PURIFIGATION 0F WATER. APPLIOATION FILED 00T. a, 1912.

1,088,232. Patented Feb. 24, 1914 lill 'lion gallons, of water,

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIoE.

FRANK M. LEAVITT, OF SMITHTOWN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO LEAV'I'HIJ-JACKSON` ENGINEERING COMPANY, OF BROOIHYN,

YORK.

NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW PURIFICATION OF WATER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 24., 1914.

Application filed October 8, 19'12; Seria1No. 724,512.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, FRANK M. LEAVITT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Smithtown, in the county ofy Suffolk and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsv in the Puri fication of lVater, of Vwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the introduction of a chemical agent into a stream of water for the purification or other treatment ofthe water. Its principal application is for the supplied to a city' through its aqueduct, butl it is equally ap-v purification of the water plicable to the purification of streams or water cours/es and to the treatment of sewage or the efiluent from sewage purification plants. The chemical in liquid or gaseous form but it may be in solid form. The difficulty which my invention is designed to meet is that the flow in the aqueduct or Water course is liable to frequent fluctuation, whereas the chemical treatment requires that the purifying agent be introduced in some certain definite proportion, tha-t is to say, that a certain weight of the chemical agent shall be introduced to each million gallons or other determined quantity of water flowing. Then the chemical agent is used in the gaseous form a difiicult condition is presented.

For the purification of water supplied to cities, for the destruction of harmful bacteria in the water, the purifying agent now most commonly used is chlorin gas. YThe invention is therefore described as designed for controlling the introduction into a variable water supply of the required proportion of chlorin, say for example, one pound of chlorin to a given quantity, such as one milor it may -be one part by weight of chlorin gas and two million parts of water. Such a gas is held in bottles under pressure in liquid form; ,when the outlet valve is opened the liquid is partly relieved of pressure, and the chlorin, in gaseous form, passes out through a tube or pipe agent will usually beA the gas (te, its pressure and temperaturefl For these reasons a predetermined amount of gas by weight cannot be caused to'fiow sage. The rate of wide variation, as is also of gasto be supplied in a given, time will vary according to the rate of flow.'

This invention provides an improved method of producing'these desiredresults; and an automatic means, adapted to operate in accordance with the improvedA method, by which a desired or predetermined weight of gas may 'be introduced into the water in proportion to the volume of water flowing through the Water-main at any interval, irrespective of the pressure or temperature of the gas and'of the pressure againstl which it is introduced. With this object there is provided a water meter or. flow indicator of any known form and suitable arrangement the variations in which produce a mechanical movement; this mechanical movement is made an element in controlling the rate at which they gas is introduced, and a mechanical movement due to the variation in weight of the gas supplied co-perates with the first named mechanical movement, to control the delivery of the gas into the water; that is to say, the valve or orifice through whichthe gas is introduced is controlled by the joint operation of a Water meter or flow indicator and the variation in gravity of the gas supplied.

In describing this improvement in detail the purification of potable water flowing in a duct where the pressure and rate of flow is variable, due to variation in consumption, and the combination therewith of a chemical combining agent such as chlorin gas has been selected, and in this purification system whatever the mobile fluid and the chemical combining agent may be, a fixed ratio is first determined upon and while this may be changed'from day to day, whatever ratio may be established is maintained until the occurrence of changed conditions is discovered, as by the application of proper some chemical agent may be any Huid or by simply providing afixed orifice or Apa'sthe pressure orhead, and the desired amount tests, instituted for the purpose.l The mo` bile Huid to be changed by the addition "of liquid and the chemical combining agent to be united therewith at a predetermined rate may be any suitable or desired chemical substance either in the form/of a liquid a gasor a powder. 1

The accompanying drawings illustrate one embodiment of the invention which will serve to illustrate its principle.

Figure 1 is a schematic view of the general arrangement of the-apparatus, and 'F ig. 2 shows a modification of the device which is controlled by the variation in the loss of weight of the source of supply.

The duct or main throughl which the water supply passes is shown at w; in operative relation to duct wis a flow indicator or meter m, the variation in indications of which result in the mechanical movement of rodulO 'which reciprocates, as shown vby the arrows;l so that its position varies with the lrate 'of flow,fwhich may be indicated on a scale 80, as shown. This -rod -10 is connected with a long pinion 12 through a sliding connection 11, and on the same shaft with pinion 12 is a friction roller 13, engaging with the face of disk 14, on a shaft 15, driven at a constant speed from 'any source, such as motor 16, through bevel gears 17, 18. A disk 19 is fast on shaft 15, and disks 14 and 19 are thus rotated together at a constant speed. A friction roller 20 is driven by disk 19 and is on the same shaft with long pinion 21. A reciprocating rod 71 is connected with the shaft carrying long pinion 21, through a sliding connection 72; rod 71 is reciprocated in such manner that'its position corresponds at any instant to the rate of flow of gas in weight per time unit, so that this may be indicated on a scale 81, as shown. For thus reciprocating rod 71 it is provided with gear teeth at 75 meshing witlivpinion 74, secured on a short shaft with worm Wheel 7 3, which meshes with worm 76 driven in either direction by any motor device d; for example, motor d may be an electric motor which has its armature coils constantly excited b a source of electric current c, and provi ed with two opposed field coils 61 and 62 to be referred to.

There is a reservoir e, filled with water 50. In this is a hollow float f, supporting a bottle Z) of liquefied chlorin gas. The bottle b is connected by a flexible tube lz with a gas valve g which is shown as having a sliding gate 30 controlling the orifice of a tube 3l; which tube leads thence to the water duct w. The gate 30 is operated by a sliding rod 29 as will be described.

The ioat f rises as the gas passes off, and thus reduces the weight in the bottle b. Its rate'of ascent is made to determine the position of the rod 71. This it does by controlling the movements of the motor d in either direction. `For this purpose the float f carries (through a rigid rod 51) an electric contact 52, insulated from the rod at 53, and playing between two contacts 54 and 55. i These latter are carried on a slowly ascending traveler n which is propelled at a varyin@ rate by being driven from the friction ro l er 20. `The gearing shown comprises pinion 21, train 40 to 4G inclusive, and upright screw shaft 47, the threads of which engage a nut in the traveler n. Contacts 52, 54 and 55 are connected to battery a: 'and motor coils 61 and 62 by wires 60, 63,

64, 65 as shown.

The worms 24 and 25 are rotated in rcspectively opposite directions, as shown by the arrows, and when these worms rotate at the same rate (irrespective of their actual speed) the worm wheel 28, which freely rotates on a pivot carried by the forked end of the reciprocating rod 29, turns idly, and does not move the rod 29. If, however, either worm 24 or 25 varies its relative rate of movement, that is, turns faster or slower than the other, the rod 29 will be moved by the more rapidly rotating worm, whichever it may be, one way or the other.

To enable the operation to be understood, let us first assume a normal condition of operation in which a fluid, such as water, is flowing in the duct lw and chlorin gas is being delivered into duct lw at a predetermined rate, so that there is a definite ratio between the flow of the water and the flow of the gas (or whatever chemical agent may be used in place of the gas). A change in the rate of flow ofthe water in duct w will cause a change in the position of the rod 10; if the flow is decreased rod 10 will move toward the left and indicate a lower rate of flow on the scale, shown in the drawings; rod 10 in this movement will move the long pinion 12 and the friction roller 13, the latter engaging the friction disk 14 at a shorter radial point. This will decrease the rate of` movement of the roller 13 and therewll result a difference in the relative speed 0f rotation of the worms 24 and 25; the worm 24 now rotates the faster, as compared with worm 25, and causes the worm wheel 28 to move toward the right, decreas ing the orifice of the gas valve g opening into the pipe 31. This decreases the rate of flow of the chlorin gas in the tube h and the rate of loss of weight of the bottle b. In the operation of th'e apparatus up to this time, it is assumed that the rotation of the vertical threaded shaft 47, carrying the traveler n upward, and the upward advance of the xed contact 52, supported on float f, has been at such a rate that the position shown in the drawing, Where the contact `52 is out of engagement with both contacts 54 and 55 has been maintained, but the decrease in the rate of loss of weight of bottle b causes the contact 52 to be retarded and the vvoir e.

removed. The

contact 55 overtakes it, closing circuit via 52, G5, battery conductor 63, coil 62, conduct-or G4, and contact 55; this causes a rotation of the armature of motor al, and worm 76, in a direction to move sliding rod 71 toward the left and to cause friction roller 20 to engage friction disk 19l at a point nearer the center or on a shorter radius; this acts to slow down the rate of rotation of the vertical shaft 47 and separation between contacts 52 and 55 results; when contact 52 overtakes contact 54 circuit is closed via 52, 54, 60, 61, 63, and `65. This causes a rotation of the armature of the electric motor d in the opposite direction and the radial point of contact of roller.20 with respect to disk 19 is lengthened, so that the speed of roller 2O is increased. Stated in another way, there is a sort of hunting action, or

oscillation, until the point of equilibrium is substantially restablished.

The successful operation of the apparatus where variations occur in the water flow is dependent upon the loss in weight of the supply of chlorin gas, the area of the float and the proportion of the gearing. The gas storage bottle b contains chlorin gas in a liquid form. Commercially such bottles will hold about 100 lbs. of liquid gas; bottle Z) is placed in the hollow float f of uniform section, preferably cylindrical; float f is supported in Water, 50, contained in reser- As gas flows from bott-le Z) float f will rise in proportion to the weight of gas linear distance through which float f will rise for each pound of gas allowed to escape will depend upon the area of cross section of floatf. For example, if t-he diameter of float f is eight inches, the area of cross section would be about 50 square inches. Since about 27 cubic inches ofwater weighs one pound, float would rise a little over one-half inch or each pound of gas removed, or if bottle b contained originally 100 pounds'of gas, the total rise ofthe float after all the gas had been removed would be a little over 50 inches.

It is to be understood that the constituent elements of the mobile liquid, whether it be Water or sewage, and the elemental, compound, or constituent character of the chemical agent to be combined with the said mobile liquid is or are not `material; the method and means hereinafter claimed ,are not limited by the character or combination of the elemental substances employed or 'op^ erated upon, but it is-material that a substantially uniform ratio shall be maintained between the supply of one and the rate of iow of the other, and that this ratio shall be maintained until a diiferent predetermined ratio of combination is determined upon. v

In Fig. 2, scale springs s, in place of water, support the source of supply of the chemical combining substance, thatpis, the bottle b. In case a scale is employed,y show-v ing variations in the loss of weightf of the source of supply, some movable mechanical element forming part of the scale will be arranged to operate the circuit closer 52 substantially as shown in Fig. 1.

The invention 'is susceptible of a wide range of modification.

The present application for patent is directed to the method or process. Claims covering generically the apparatus herein ldescribed are contained in a later application, Serial N o. 780,954, filed July 24, 1913.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A process of purifying a liquid by introducing a chemical agent into a current of such liquid, comprising controlling the flow of said agent by means of its loss of weight.

2. A process of purifying -water by introducing a gas into a current of such water,

ycomprising controlling the flow'of said gas by means of its loss of weight.

3. A process of purifying a liquid by introducing a chemical agent into a current of such liquid, comprising controllin the flow of such agent by means both 0f lts loss of weight and 0f variations in the flow of said current. y

4. A process of purifying Water by introduring gas into a varying current of such water in a predetermined proportion, comprising controlling the flow of gas by means of its loss of weight, and controlling the rate of loss of weight by the rate of flow of the lcurrent of Water.

5. A process of purifying water by in- 'troducing gas into a current of such'water,

comprising introducing such gas from a supply thereof under pressure, and controlling the flow of gas irrespectivel of its pressure by means of the loss of weight `of such supply. n

6. In the purification of water by introducing gas into a current of such water, the described method which conslsts 1n introducing such gas from a supply thereof under pressure, and controllmg the flow of gas by means actuated by the rate of flow gf said Water and by the rate of the loss of Weight of the supply of said gas.-

7. In the purification of water by mtroucing gas into a current of such water, the described method which consists 1n 1ntroducing such gas from a supply thereof under pressure and at a rate irrespective of such pressure by varying the weight of the gas Howing per unit of time in proportion to Variations in the rate of flow of the water.

8. In the purification of Water by int-roducing gas into a current of such water, the described method which consists in introducing such gas from a supply thereof under pressurel through a controlling valve, signed my name in the presence of tWo suband varying the effective openn 'of said scribing Witnesses.

valve under control of the rate of oW of the Water, and relatively to the pressure of the FRANK M' LEAVITT 5 gas to admit a given Weight of gas propor- Witnesses:

tional to a given quantity of Water. ARTHUR C. FRASER,

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto Fnsi) WHITE. 

